1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to providing one or more predominantly transparent panels that are secured to a top stack linkage to form a retractable hardtop for a vehicle.
2. Background Art
Vehicle roof styles include hardtops, hardtops with a sunroof, soft top convertibles and retractable hardtop convertibles. Convertibles are popular alternatives to conventional hardtops and hardtops with sunroofs with vehicle owners who want an unobstructed overhead view and maximum ventilation.
Soft top convertibles are formed by-in-large by an opaque fabric that may have a back light formed of glass or plastic. When a soft top is extended to cover the passenger compartment, no overhead view is provided. Soft top convertibles do not reduce noise to the same extent as a hardtop or a retractable hardtop.
A retractable hardtop provides the best features of both the fixed hardtop and the soft top convertible. Retractable hardtops, when retracted fully, open the passenger compartment to provide an unobstructed overhead view. Retractable hardtops in the closed position provide noise reduction that is comparable to conventional hardtops. However, when the retractable hardtop is closed, overhead view is lost just as it is with a soft top convertible.
The present invention is directed to providing retractable hardtop that provides excellent overhead visibility and permits the passenger compartment to be illuminated by natural light through the roof.